The history of the warres of the Emperour Justinian in eight books : of the Persian, II, Vandall, II, Gothicke, IV / written in Greek by Procopivs of Caesarea ; and Englished by Henry Holcroft, Knight.

CHAP. XIIII.

IN the mean time John besieged the Castle of Acherontis, and finding that he could do no good upon it, he fell upon a bold resolution, which preser∣ved some Roman Senators, and got much reputation to himselfe. While Totilas was busie before Rome, he took to himselfe a party of choice Horse-men, and concealing his intent, made a journey into Campania (where Totilas had confined the Senators) resting neither day nor night, that coming suddenly he might res∣cue the Senators, the Townes being altogether unfortified. Totilas before fearing this, and that by some Enemy he might lose his Prisoners, had sent into Campania some Forces of Horse; who being come to the City of Minturnae, thought it best to stay there, and to rest their Horses, being weary with the journey. Some others Totilas had directed, (being men in much account with him, and about 400.) to view in what Estate Capua was, and the Townes about it; And the journey thither was but 37. miles, and the Horses of these and themselves were fresh and lusty. It happened that these 400, and John arrived at the same day and houre at Capua, not knowing of one anothers coming. Suddenly a gallant fight was performed, both parties falling to it at first sight, wherein the Romans had the absolute Victory, and killed many; some few of them got away, and gallopt to Minturnae; whom the others there seeing all bloody, and some with Arrowes stick∣ing in them, others not so much as telling them what had befallen them, (so earn∣est they were to get away) and bewraying the feare they were in, they also leapt upon their Horses and ran with them for company: And coming to Totilas, they told him of innumerable Enemies, to save the shame of their running away. Seven∣ty Roman Souldiers then came into John, who were quartered in Campania; And some few Senators he found there, but almost all their Wives. For most of the men at the taking of Rome, were fled into Portus with the Souldiers, but all the

Women were taken Prisoners. One Clementinus a Patritian, fled into a Church, not accompanying the Roman Army; because having betrayed a Castle neer unto Naples to Totilas, he feared the Emperours indignation. Orestes also, who had been Consull, staid at his house for want of Horses to carry him away; John sent the Senators he found, and the 70. Souldiers into Sicily: But Totilas was vexed at this newes, and eager to have his revenge upon John; And he marcht against him, leaving only some of his Troops to guard the Camp before Perusia: John had encamped his 100. men in Lucania, and sent out some to discover upon all the waies, that the Enemy might not surprise him. And Totilas guesting as much, and that John would not lye in his Camp, without his Scouts abroad; left the or∣dinary wayes, and marcht over the Mountaines which were many, high and craggy, and thought unpassable, that none would suspect his coming that way. Johns Scouts found the Enemy was thereabout, but no certainty they could learn; and fearing what came to passe, they rode back to their Camp, and with them arrived there the Goths in the night, Totilas being in a rage, and so not well advised, had the fruit of his impertinet anger. His Army was ten times greater then his Enemies; and it is evidently best for a stronger Army to make an open fight; so that he should have charged the Enemy in the morning (to take from them the benefit of the dark to hide themselves) and so he had taken them all as in a net. But he giving way to his anger, set on them in the dark night. They used no resistance, being taken most of them asleep; yet the Goths killed not many, they having the means in the dark to slip away unseen, leaving their camp, and running up to the next mountains. John escaped amongst the rest, and Arusus, Captaine of the Herulians. Almost 100. Romans were slaine: There was with John one Gilacius an Armenian, commanding some few of his Countrey-men, who spake neither Greeke, Latine, nor Gothish, but Armenian only; some Goths lighting upon him, ask'd him who he was: (They forbare to kill any in the dark, lest they might kill their owne) He could make no o∣ther answer, but that he was Generall Gilacius, having learnt the title of his place in Greek, by hearing it often named. The Goths finding him an Enemy, took him Prisoner, and soon after killed him. John, and Arusus with their troops gallop't amain to Otranto: And the Goths afterward pillaging the Romans Camp, retired.

Things being thus in Italy, the Emperour upon the importunate letters of Beli∣sarius, thought good to send more Forces thither.

First, he sent Bacurius, the sonne of Peranius, and Sergius, Solomons sisters sonne, who with some few came to the rest of the Army. Afterward he sent ••••rus with 300. Herulians, and Varazes an Armenian with 80. Roman Souldiers. He caused also Valerianus, Generall of Armenia, from thence to goe into ••••••ly with his guard of Lanciers, and l'argettiers, being above a thousand men. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 first arrived at Otranto, where leaving his Ships, and not joyning with Johns Army, he rode for∣ward with his men. He was no serious man, but an excessive Drinker: and conse∣quently rash, and unadvised. He encamped neer to Brundusium: Which Totilas hearing; Either quoth he, Verus is very strong, or very foolish. Let us go to him; either to make tryall of his power, or to make him sensible of his folly. According∣ly he went against him with a great Army; But the Herulians seeing them, fled into a Wood, where the Enemy compassed them, and slew above 200. Verus and the rest were ready to be caught; but it chanced that Varazes and the Armenians came suddenly to an Anchor upon that shore; and Totilas suspecting some great Forces aboard, rode away with his Army, and so they escaped, with much joy to the ships. Varazes put into Tarentum, whither soone after came John. The emperour had written to Belisarius of a great Army sent, with which he was to joyn in Calabria, and to give Batta••le to the Enemy. Val••rianus also was come neer the Jonian gulfe, but would not passe over, fearing that the Souldiers and their Horses would, want provisions now towards the Winter tropick. He sent unto John 300. of his men, and promised in the beginning of the Spring to be with him.

But Belisarius upon perusall of the Emperours letters, chose of his best men 700. Horse, and 200. Foot: And leaving the Guard of the places about Rome to the rest under Conon, he made for Sicily, thence purposing to put in at Tarentum. He left at his left hand the place called Scyll••um, where the Poets say, that Scylla did abide. Not that any such savage Woman was, as they tell it: But in that part are of old

many small rocks like whelps, and they are to this day called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 little Dogs. At first names were given thus to signifie the things. Then fame spreading them a∣mong men ignorant of the truth, caused many false conceits: And time at length became the powerfull Author of some fable, suborning, for Witnesses of things that are not, Poets by licence of their art. So anciently the Natives of Corcyra have called their Easter•• promontory Cynocephale, the head of a Dog; Whereupon o∣thers would have the Islanders headed like Dogs. Some Pisidians are called Lycocra∣nites, not because they have heads like Wolves, but because the mountaines there are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the head of a Wolfe. But to return from whence I digressed.

Belisarius endeavoured to make directly for Tarentum. There is a coast in form like a halfe moon, the Sea embaying it selfe farre into the land; the com∣passe whereof being 125. miles, neer to the mouth of the Bay are Croton to the East-ward, and Thurium to the West, And about the middle of it is Tarentum. A storm being in their teeth, and the wind blowing high, and the waves being great, being unable to saile on, they cast Anchor in the Haven of Croton: Where Belisa∣rius finding no Fortresse neere, nor how to supply the Army with provisi∣ons, staid with his Wife and all the Foot, intending to send for Johns Army. His Horse he commanded to march higher, and to quarter themselves upon the en∣trances of the Countrey, giving them for Commanders Pharas the Iberian, and Barbation, one of his Life-guard; Thinking that so they might best get provisions for themselves and their Horses, and keep off the Enemy in fastnesses. For there the mountaines of Lucania reaching into Bruttia, and meeting at a strait, make two narrow passages; the one called in Latine Petra sanguinis, the bloody rock; the o∣ther Labulla, or Lambula. Here by the Sea side stands Ruscia, where the Thuri∣ans ships ride. Seven miles and a halfe above this, the ancient Romans built a strong Castle, which John had long possessed, and placed a Garrison in it.